Brandberryhttps://brandberryblog.wordpress.com
#neverboringSun, 18 Feb 2018 05:05:22 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.com/https://s2.wp.com/i/buttonw-com.pngBrandberryhttps://brandberryblog.wordpress.com
Thinking Outside of The Box, Yet Not Too Farhttps://brandberryblog.wordpress.com/2014/12/29/thinking-outside-of-the-box-yet-not-too-far/
Mon, 29 Dec 2014 20:31:51 +0000http://brandberryblog.wordpress.com/?p=273Businesses yearn for innovation, yet seem to get stuck on how to harness creativity within their organizations. Instead they often seek assistance from outside agencies, like our firm Brandberry, to do the ideation for them. We’ve seen some unbelievable yet underutilized talent and are often stumped as to why they have their blinders on. Below you will find some of our secrets to climb outside of the box, while still grounding those ideas.

Consider Who Put You In The Box In The First PlaceWhile it’s often unintentional, the rut of everyday business can stifle creativity. New ideas could be ignored due to deadlines and urgent tasks. A great concept could be dismissed because it’s too out there or maybe the person is not high enough within the organization to be heard. Other times, it’s you who puts yourself in the box by thinking your ideas aren’t good enough. Creativity is like a light switch, the electricity is always ready, all that matters is that you are aware enough to turn it on.

Become A Master Of The Art Of FusionSometimes the best way to step outside of the box (without stepping too far) is to adopt the art of fusion. Inspiration can be found everywhere, so look beyond your industry, then mix those new ideas with something tried and true. Adopting something that’s working in another field may be the perfect addition to show validity. Even though companies say they want something new, they are often still somewhat risk averse, so this requires a careful balance.

Switch Up Your Daily Routine To Unleash IdeasGet out of your daily grind to prompt creative thinking or just try to view your day through a new lense. Keep innovation top of mind every waking moment. Even a simple task such as going to a grocery store or filling your car with gas can become a source of innovation. Instead of zoning out or day dreaming, look around and absorb what is right in front of you.

Remember To Keep It SimpleNot all ideas have to change the world, but they do need to be easy to explain. If you can’t come up with an elevator pitch, you’ve probably stepped too far away from a solid idea. It’s okay to be a pie in the sky dreamer, but it’s also important to make sure it’s something that can be communicated easily to the end user.

Practice Grounding Your IdeasAfter you go far outside the box, try to see if you can fit them back into the box. Ensure the core principals of your product or service are not lost. Also, make sure it fills a gap in the market or has a unique enough positioning to stand out from the competition. If you do this before sharing your concepts, the review process will be simpler…and more convincing!

]]>brandberryblog5 Tips to Finding Loopholes on the Road to Successhttps://brandberryblog.wordpress.com/2014/08/25/5-tips-to-finding-loopholes-on-the-road-to-success/
Mon, 25 Aug 2014 14:28:06 +0000http://brandberryblog.wordpress.com/?p=245Whatever your destination may be, if you look hard enough and travel smart you can discover a way to get there faster. They’re called loopholes and they are usually hiding in plain sight. You need only to take your blinders off to see them.

Here are 5 tips that are sure to help you accomplish your dreams with more ease than you ever thought possible.

Know Your Destination

Before you become a master of identifying loopholes, you have to make sure you clearly define your end goals. The first step you take before embarking on a cross country road trip is to punch in your destination’s coordinates into your GPS. The same concept applies before tackling any objective – you should begin with your desired end-point in mind.

Map Out Possible Solutions

There will always be alternate routes available when traveling to your destination. It is being able to identify which path is most worth traveling. If you want to go places and get there in record time, you need to think beyond the immediate and obvious contributing variables. You can’t simply consider approximate miles and estimated arrival time and call it a day. You need to account for traffic, unexpected accidents and possible road blocks. Cover all of your bases. Begin by asking yourself “How can I accomplish my goal in the quickest and most effective way possible?” Then map out at least 20 ways to make that happen, and don’t shorten your list when you hit a creative block, sometimes it’s the last answer that renders the best solution.

Identify Your Vehicle

Once you’ve selected the most efficient course, consider the mode of transportation you’ll need to take that ride. What compromises are you willing to make to get there faster? Do you need a career change or will your current vehicle get you to the same intersection without taking up too much time? Are you willing to risk financial security, even temporarily? Do you need space for others? Most importantly, decide if you have what it takes to be the driver and be able to recognize when it’s time to hand over the wheel to another passenger.

Use Your Mirrors

Loopholes are like potholes, you often don’t see them until it’s too late and you’re stuck with a flat-tire and headache. Keep your eyes open and proactively be on the look-out for when the next one might arise. Talk to others, share your ideas, reflect on your past and ensure you are staying true to why you started in the first place. It’s easy to get off course and miss the exit if you’re too busy checking your rearview for what you’ve left behind. Maintain your focus, follow the signs (and your gut)…and yes, U-turns are okay! Mistakes are bound to happen, learn from them and keep moving forward, only this time put the pedal to the metal.

Put The Top Down

What’s the point of a road trip if you’re not going to enjoy the ride? Roll down the windows, lower that top and embrace the winds of change whipping across your face. If you’re excited about where you’re heading, you’ll travel faster – it’s that simple.

“If you expected rain, you would bring an umbrella, right? The same preparedness applies to a brainstorm… and if you want a hurricane of ideas, you’ll need the right variables. It all begins with a rain dance, you have to inspire others to channel the right energy. As soon as it starts to storm, break out that paper and soak up the flood of ideas. Most importantly, allow the storm cloud to travel beyond the office…often times, that is when the most powerful lightning will strike.”

Brainstorming sessions, when done correctly, can be one of the most powerful tools in your business. Often times, however, a meeting held with the intention of generating groundbreaking ideas turns into an hour of wasted time and you’re left scratching your head over what went wrong. Here at Brandberry, we make it rain cats and dogs, so we thought we’d share what it is that makes our sessions so successful.

1. Switch Things Up

The most productive brainstorm sessions occur when there is a vibrant and palpable energy permeating the room. Creative juices rarely flow on command, especially after a day filled with emails and packed to-do lists. This is why transforming your workplace is vital. Don’t be afraid to mix it up a bit. Go off site for your session, incorporate props, magazines and other inspiring visuals … and turn off those cell phones, you want your team to be 100% present.

2. Warm Up The Room

Do you remember when your favorite elementary school teacher would begin the day with a hands-on activity? We may not be kids anymore, but that same concept still applies. Every now and then, we could use an interruption from the routine. Start your sessions off with a warm up exercise. Get creative… have your team compile a list of the five worst things to discover in the trunk your car, or play a wild round of Mad Libs. Make them laugh, get their blood flowing and you’re guaranteed to see those mental gears begin to churn.

3. Write Everything Down

Everyone should be taking notes. The faster the ideas begin to flow, the more difficult it can become for each opinion to be heard, so encourage your team to write down any and all thoughts they have for future reference. Make it fun by incorporating unconventional ways to jot down ideas… go ahead and cover the table with a roll of paper or plaster giant sticky notes on the wall to be inscribed upon with oversize markers. Remember, imagination breeds ingenuity…so don’t discourage doodling. Some of Brandberry’s best ideas have derived from the random scribblings drawn during team meetings.

4. Set The Tone

While it is important to arrange certain parameters in order to ensure productive meetings… avoid making too many rules, this can be restrictive to innovation. Urge participation from all levels of the company… if you limit your contributors to a room full of senior executives you will likely miss out on a multitude of valuable opinions and diverse perspectives. Set the tone from the beginning to be that of a relaxed, think-tank assembly, don’t make it competitive but rather create a safe space for any and all ideas to be shared… sometimes the best ideas are the craziest ones.

5. Allow It To Continue

The ideas don’t have to stop flowing the second the meeting is over. Some of the best ideas originate in the shower, before you go to bed, or while driving… basically any time you’re not working. This is why digital platforms that allow the conversation to continue past the original brainstorm session are so valuable.

Faith Mady is a go-getting pooch who has been called the “backbone of the Brandberry brand.” It is nearly impossible to land an interview with her but she was kind enough to spare a few moments to sit down with us today. Check out this exclusive interview below and get to know the elusive CBO of Brandberry.

So Faith, tell us about Brandberry

Well, darling what is it you want to know? Do try and be specific, I have a very big day ahead of me. Time is kibbles you know.

How about you describe to us an average day for you in the BB office?

Well for starters, I absolutely must begin the day with snuggles and kisses from Ashley. When you are a powerful working dame like myself, it is essential that family time not be neglected. You know, work-life balance and all that. Afterword, I get straight to work on providing the Brandberry Bunch with a break from the desk to walk me and I often act as a stimulating muse as well…. Not to brag darling, but it’s rumored that the inspiration behind the Poopeez brand had much to do with me.

Interesting. So how would you describe the workplace dynamic at BB?

Oh just splendid of course! Everyone gets along swimmingly. Quite the creative bunch…except they can be a bit strange at times. For instance, on Wednesdays they insist on dressing in bizarre costumes and it is just dreadfully embarrassing to have to witness the other humans’ reactions to whoever walks me that day.

You have been called by the press, “bitingly witty” and “not one to take the tail end of a deal.” Do have any reaction to that?

I suppose they thought they were being quite punny. But they’re not wrong, you don’t become the Chief Barketing Officer of a company like Brandberry without a bit of wag to your tail.

Do you have any quirks or rituals that help stimulate your creative process?

Hmmm… I do love spinning around in circles… Oh! I know! When I get really excited about an idea I tend to sneeze uncontrollably! Although, Lori always interprets that as a cue to take me outside. Let me tell you, they have missed out on a number of groundbreaking innovations because of that. *Sighs* Oh well, humans, what can you do really?

Would you mind summing up your job description?

I supervise. I make sure everyone arrives on time and hits their deadlines, or else they are forced to listen to me yip quite loudly for an insufferable amount of time as punishment. But I am not all bite of course, I make it a priority to ensure that these hard working humans remember to take a break. I also act as the “gatekeeper” for Brandberry, if someone wishes to work with us, I review the potential client/brand meticulously before giving the paws up.

So Faith, what kinds of brands/clients are you looking for?

Firstly, they have to be fun! I am bit of a puppy at heart, really. Also, I keep an eye out for brands that have a solid foundation and are not afraid to think outside of the box in order to reach their full potential. I may be small but I need something I can sink my teeth into. Most importantly, the people have to be amazing, I simply adore creative humans who make pleasant company.

It sounds like you truly are the backbone of BB.

Milk bones? Where?!… Oh my mistake, you said backbone… and yes that’s right, I am. Good for you dear, you catch on quick. Now, really I must be going, it’s almost time for my appointment with Ashley’s lap.

One last question. Any advice for the pups trying to make it in this Dog-Eat-Dog World?

The best advice I can give you is this: don’t ever allow anyone to tell you can’t do something. You can do whatever you put your mind to. Why, just yesterday Eddie told me I can’t chase the geckos…A few minutes later I strolled in with a nice juicy one between my teeth.

Brandberry is an enterprise that tears down barriers, adheres to no stereotype and consistently pushes the boundaries of creativity. We are cultivators of imagination and aim to not just build brands but inspire and nourish relationships until they bear fruit. Vibrant and delicious fruit – like a berry – hence the name.

The Start

Our founder and president, Ashley Mady, got her start as a graphic designer in the lively and competitive toy industry. When the recession hit and 2009 surfaced, the company she worked for was acquired and relocated to California. This left Ashley with a difficult choice.

As a respected professional in the industry, the opportunity to follow a customary career path with little financial or personal risk lay at her feet. Yet, when faced with that securely painted picture of her future, she was left uninspired. Her roots were in Florida, where she knew family ties would always keep her grounded but the toy and entertainment field she so adored held little prospect in the Sunshine State. Nevertheless, that twenty-five year old with an enormous vision and entrepreneurial spirit interpreted what most would perceive as a disadvantageous risk to be a wide open opportunity – and thus blossomed Brandberry.

The Culture

Brandberry is home to a diverse team of out of the box thinkers who have a knack for fusing the most seemingly unrelated ideas into impressively branded masterpieces, all with the intent of spreading a bit more joy into the world. With lively brainstorming sessions, dress-to-theme Wild Wednesdays, and exciting brands on the rise, there is never a dull moment here at Brandberry HQ. A constant buzz of contagious energy flows through the office on a daily basis, though that could be attributed to the shameful amount of coffee we consume in order to keep up with Ashley. Unbridled passion and fierce work ethic make up the fundamental blocks that Brandberry rests upon, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

The Mission

Brandberry’s mission to to be a leader in creating brands and branded content. We seek to encourage innovative thinking, smart design and progressive collaboration. Utilizing every available platform, Brandberry aims to make the world a more imaginative and playful place.